Mask of secrets
by Pink Feline
Summary: Discontinued
1. Chapter 1: Slipping

**JM: Yep, I'm starting another story. I took longer on this chapter, and it is longer in length to any of my other fics. I'm hoping it will turn out good. Unfortunately I have no muses and I'm working on limited info. If character's are ooc then please don't be angry with me.**

**Okay I have something I need help with. I dunno if I should have pairings in the fic, and if so should it be yaoi. Just so you know I know absolutely nothing about the girls that are in Beyblade except for names and what team they are from. Anyway if you have a particular pairing that you would like in this fic, email it to me or put it in a review or something.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or anything associated with it. I might have a few very minor ocs that will belong to me. If the story is similar to any other then it is purely coincidental and I apologise if it offends you. I don't like stealing from other author's so I don't do it and never will.**

**Please read and review and I ask that you keep from flaming. Constructive criticism will be accepted and taken not of. Thank You.**

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Tyson sat quietly on his bed. For once there wasn't a goofy smile on his face, or a twinkle in his eye. Instead a sad thoughtful frown was drawn over his features. He hugged his knees to his chest resting his head in his arms.

He was tired, physically, mentally and emotionally. A burden seemed settled on his small frame, weighing down on his shoulders. He was scared. He had noticed that he was letting things slip, things that could put him in danger. 

He stood up and walked into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and winced. His hair was a shade lighter than it was yesterday, his skin a bit paler. His clothes were that once fitted him perfectly began to hang of his frame slightly. Slowly but surely his disguise was slipping. No matter how much he ate, he couldn't attain the body shape and weight that made up a part of his disguise. In truth Tyson was smaller and more delicate in body than what he appeared. 

The disguise he kept up took a lot of energy from him, hence the reason that he ate and slept so much. If Tyson was to let go of his disguise it would be obvious that he wasn't entirely human. What people would do to him if they found that out scared him. What scared him more was what his friends and team mates would say were they to find out the truth. 

Recently Tyson had found that he was running out of energy faster and no amount of food or sleep seemed to help him regain it. His form was getting smaller and skinnier, his hair lighter and longer, his skin paler. Why this was happening he did not know, what he did know was that at this rate, if matters didn't improve he would revert back to his original form by the end of the week. It was Monday today which gave him four days. Tyson had asked Dragoon why his power was disappearing, yet his brother could not answer him.

Tyson sighed and splashed some cold water onto his face. He walked back to his room and flung himself onto his bed. His friends had started to notice his lack of energy, and the slowly declining amount of food he consumed. No one commented and Tyson avoided the subject as much as possible. Yet the changes were getting more noticeable and soon questions would be asked.

Tyson felt Dragoon trying to comfort him and he smiled tiredly closing his eyes. He had no choice. He needed to run away until he was able to hold his disguise again. He would leave the following night and find some secluded place where he could stay for awhile without getting caught. He had some money in his bag, clothes and his beyblade. All he needed was to get through one more day, and then he would be safe. He had thought about taking his sword but had not yet decided whether he would. He could practise while he was away and it would be a form of defence would the need arise.

He drifted in and out of sleep, never bothering to climb under the covers. His dreams were short and faded from memory as soon as they passed. He slept till late in the afternoon, his friends noticing his exhaustion leaving him to wake in his own time. When he did come down he looked none the better than the other days. He entered the kitchen with a yawn, rubbing his eyes before falling into the nearest chair. He leaned his head against the table closing his eyes again and dozed. A hand on his shoulder made him sit up again wide awake. Ray looked down at Tyson's tired brown eyes, worried.

Tyson gave a tired smile to the neko-jin. "Are you alright Tyson?" he asked the blue haired teen. Tyson shrugged looking at the table. "Just tired I guess" he replied not wanting to think of a plausible reason why. "Well that's pretty obvious Tyson, but why?" Max said as he entered to kitchen. Tyson looked to his blond haired friend with only the barest hint of annoyance. That was one question he didn't want to answer so instead he shrugged saying nothing more. Ray frowned at this but stayed quiet. "Are you hungry Tyson? You did miss breakfast." he asked instead. Tyson grinned though it lacked much of his usual enthusiasm. "Yea that'd be great." 

Max sat himself in one of the chairs, a grin on his face. Tyson found himself yawning again. He found a pair of bright blue eyes looking at him concerned. "You don't look so good Tyson." He said not taking his eyes of the dragon blader. "Ah thanks Max" Tyson replied sarcastically shooting Max a playful glare. Max grinned, a bit of the old Tyson has shown itself. "But I am serious Tyson. You're looking terribly pale and there are dark circles beneath your eyes." Tyson shrugged again looking at the table. He looked up again as food was placed before him. Tyson's stomach grumbled at the promise of food. He was hungry and dug in eagerly. He noticed that Ray and Max relaxed slightly as he ate. Some habits were hard to break, and his eating habits were one of them. 

As he finished he sat back and stretched. He thanked Ray and stood up. He walked back to his room avoiding the rest of his friends, especially Kai. He was not in the mood to have a battle of wills with the team leader. He closed his bedroom door and leaned against it. He walked to the table that stood at the far corner and picked up a small black box. He looked at it for a moment as it lay innocently in his hand. His face was expressionless as he ran his thumb down one of its sides. It was just a plain black box with a lid, nothing really interesting about it. The only strange thing was that the box was strangely heavy though perhaps it was what the box contained that weighed it down. Tyson had never actually opened the box, never asked someone else to tell him what it contained. Something told him that whatever the box contained was dangerous. No amount of curiosity or encouragement could make him open the box. He placed the box back on the table and didn't spare it a second glance. He had found the box amongst other things when he had woken up in the middle of a forest so many years ago.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a knock on his door. Max's voice rang through the door. "Hey Tyson, Kai wants you to come down and practice." Tyson sighed and picked up his Beyblade. "I'm coming he yelled back" He opened the door and prayed that he would make it through the day.

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**JM: There you go. One chapter done. Read and Review, no Flames thanx! Remember to vote alright.**


	2. Chapter 2: Running

**JM: Hello!! First I just wanna say thank you to all the lovely people that reviewed. I must say I was surprised to find that this story had accumulated 8 reviews on a period of 6 hours after I first posted it. I must have been grinning like an idiot when I found out. Anyway thanx again! Alright I'm gonna try and post one new chapter a week hopefully I won't hit writer's block along the way. Remember to vote for pairings! So far TyKa is leading and RaMa. If you don't want pairings just say so as well.**

**Reply to Reviews:**

**Hee-chan2: I'm glad you like it and I'm aiming to continue this story.**

**GOD: I'm glad you feel that I can do that pairing justice. If this story doesn't turn out a ****KaMa**** I might just start another fic with that pairing. I like experimenting with different pairings and I agree I haven't actually seen much fics that include that pairing. Anyway I might even get my fav pairing into the fic if I was to write one. I hope I continue to fill such high expectation in my writing and I hope you enjoy. ^_^**

**AnimeFreak 4eval: Tyson is my favourite character as well. ^_^ If you do write a story similar to this one I would love to read it! **

**Saelbu: Glad you find it interesting. Hopefully I will be able to keep it interesting.**

**Tysonmine: I'll be glad to have you as my muse! ^_^ **

**Tinanit Enozym: I am soo happy to hear that mine is promising to be really good. I hope to make y'all proud.**

**Dragi: Thanks, I'll try and keep the story exciting. I did spend three days after all day dreaming the story. **

**Ayamari: You flatter me. ^_^**

**If you reviewed and you're not mentioned above then it just means that you reviewed after I wrote this chapter.**

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Chapter 2:

The night was clear, a silver moon staring down at the world. A light breeze danced through the streets, through the trees and into a bedroom of a two story house. The window that looked out at the street was open and the curtains parted easily as the breeze whispered against them before gently caressing pale skin that shone silver in the moons light. Two golden brown eyes snapped open, sleep departing without a fight. The eyes blinked twice before the owner sat up. The night was warm and the breeze caused the boy to shiver as it touched his bare skin.

The boy lifted the covers and swung his legs of the bed. He walked quietly to the table in the corner where he had put his clothes. He dressed quickly and quietly into a pair of black jeans, a navy blue long sleeved turtleneck and a black jacket. He put on a pair of comfortable socks but did not put on his shoes. He ran a brush through his midnight blue hair and tied it securely at the base of his neck. He looked at the small black box on the table and quickly put it into his jacket pocket. Unknown to him it fell out and was kicked under the bed. The boy picked up a small brown bag and walked over to the window. He paused and looked around his room once. He walked back to his bed and reached out a hand under the bed, searching blindly. His fingers found the object he was searching for and pulled his arms back. He pulled out a sword, sheathed in a black scabbard that was decorated with a blue and silver dragon. He strapped it to his back and walked to the window once more. This time he did not look back as he jumped out of the window.

Tyson landed softly on the grass and thanked the wind that ceased now that its purpose was done. The night was silent now as Tyson ran through the streets making no sound himself. He jumped into the shadows as a car drove past, and only moved when the sight and sound of the car faded away to nothing. He was careful to avoid the streetlights and other lighted areas as well as the pitch black shadows that the light couldn't penetrate. His senses seemed heightened as he ran through the streets. His eyes penetrated the darkness, every sound seeming magnified tenfold. The lightest change in the air made his skin tingle and his hair stand up.

Tyson paused suddenly as a cold feeling suddenly swept over his small frame. He felt eyes on him but as he searched for the source of the stare he found nothing. He frowned as he noticed that the shadows seemed to have grown, reaching out to take him. He took a step back as the shadows came ever closer their hunger sending chills down the boys' spine. He needed to get away, or he would be caught and lost forever. Fear began to make his heart pound against his chest, adrenaline coursing its way through his body. 

Tyson turned and began to run, not looking back. He ran full out now, not caring to seek for cover, yet even as he ran he felt the eyes trained on him. He was gasping for breath yet did not stop running. The houses became fewer as he ran until he finally found the forest looming before him. He slowed down and looked around him. The moon shone down, bright as ever, casting away the shadows. Tyson leaned against one of the tree trunks trying to get his breath back and his heart rate back to normal. When he had calmed down a bit he stood up again and walked hesitantly into the shadow of the trees. The complete silence that hit him made him pause for a moment before pushing on. His breathing sounded terribly loud in the silence that lay blanketing the forest.

He cursed softly as he stumbled over roots and rocks. He was bruised and tired. He had had little energy to start with and the run had used up most of it. His vision was starting to blur, his limbs getting heavier with each passing second. His head felt heavy as did his eyelids. He tripped once more and fell. He did not get up as sleep came down heavy on him. He slept deep and long, oblivious to the world as it changed. Oblivious to the yellow eyes that looked down on him from the trees above, only to disappear as the light of day changed the sky into a multitude of colours before settling on a soft bright blue. Even as the people of the city woke to get through another day did he sleep.

When he did awake it was well past 12:00. He did not have a watch with him; it was instinct that told him. He groaned as he sat up. The ground hadn't been very comfortable and he was covered in cuts and bruises. He got up slowly and pulled his bag to him. He took out a piece of bread and ate in silence. After he was finished he took a sip of water before walking away in search for shelter. A mountain lay before him, figuring that there might be a cave he headed in its direction. 

The forest that had been so silent when Tyson had entered it now teemed with life. Birds fluttered about calling to each other. Insects crawled and flew around caring not for the two legged creature that walked past, unless it was to get out of its way. Tyson grunted as his hair caught on a branch, pulling at his scalp. He turned with annoyance but paused as he saw his hair. His hair was even lighter now, the blue nature of his hair pretty obvious now. His hair was also considerably longer. He untangled his hair and grumbling to himself, clutching his hair to his chest so that it would not get caught again, continued to walk.

He stopped and listened as the faint sound of running water reached his ears. He walked faster now, the sound becoming clearer till he found himself in a clearing of sorts. A small stream cut through the middle, coming from the mountain and disappearing into the trees. Tyson sat down with a sigh of relief and dipped his hands in the clear cold water. He washed his face and ate an apple that he took from his bag. After that done he let his hair go from the confines of the hair tie and ran his fingers through, surprised that there weren't many knots. His hair felt fine and soft to his hands. He then proceeded to braid his hair, though it did prove to be a challenge.* Satisfied that his hair won't be in the way anymore he stood up again and followed the river upstream till he came to the mountain.

He searched for a cave opening and found one at the base, close to the stream. He entered hesitantly, looking for any signs of an occupant. Finding none, he thanked his luck and settled in. He walked into the woods and found himself a long stick. He took it back to the cave and taking the pocket knife he brought along, began to sharpen one end. Having made a spear he walked to the stream and went about catching some fish by spearing them as they came past. There were many failed attempts but Tyson finally caught a fish.

That night, as he prepared to go to sleep, he thought back on his friends. They were probably searching frantically for him. Guilt began to stir at his heart, but he knew that it was better this way. He wished he could have left a note, but he knew it could cause problems later. He sighed and felt a tear cascade down his cheek. He brushed it away and curled up into a little ball. In truth he didn't want to be here, he wanted to be with his friends, maybe play a few pranks with Max, have some of Ray's wonderful cooking, fight with Kai and annoying Kenny. He felt a sad smile spread over his face as his eyes began to close. Soon after, he was snoring softly, watched by the slitted yellow eyes once more.

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**JM: There you go another chapter. Sorry if it is a bit boring, it will get interesting as soon as all the boring bits are taken care of next ne. Anyway the next chapter we will be looking at the rest of the team's reaction to Tyson's disappearance. R&R!**

***Right, I have hair that goes past my butt and I can say from experience that braiding hair that long yourself is very difficult.**


	3. Chapter 3: Searching

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JM: Hi again. I got another chapter for you. Also I have another request. Would anybody like to be my beta reader? I think if I were to keep up the standard and interest that you praise me for I would need somebody who can help me so that you can get the best out of my story, yes? If you find any loose ends or loop holes in my story, feel welcome to tell me. I like detail in my fics though I sometimes glide over it a bit without noticing. Thanx for your help.

Also, I am sorry to say to the readers who are not fans of yaoi, that the majority of my lovely reviewers have requested a yaoi pairing, therefore it will be a yoai fic. If this bothers you greatly and you really want to read further, I am willing (and happy) and have the time to do a none-yaoi version. It will differ ever so slightly but only in issues that concern the pairings, but as I said it is you're choice and I aim to keep all my readers happy. You might think me strange for this, but I have a lot of time on my hands. 

Anyway thank you to all my reviewers, I really appreciate your support and comments and I encourage you to keep on reviewing. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

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As the sun began to spread it's great mane of light, the world began to awaken, banishing sleep and the shadows of the night to wait their turn. A blond haired teen groaned slightly as the sun shone into his eyes. He opened them blinking the sleep from his ocean blue orbs. 

He sat up yawning before getting up. He pulled a few articles of clothing from his drawers and headed for the bathroom. 

Turning on the hot water, he stepped into the soothing warm spray. He quickly washed his hair and body before stepping out and turning of the water flow. Feeling more awake and refreshed he got dressed and ran a brush through his hair before stepping out into the hallway.

All the bedrooms were located on the second floor and the sounds of the other occupants waking up drifted into the hall. If you were to listen closely, you would notice that there came no sound from Tyson's room. Max shrugged it off. It was very unusual for his blue haired friend to wake up this early. It was only about 7:30 now. 

Max bounced down the stairs, his energy level already high. Ray walked down the same stairs only a few moments later. He had taken the duty of chef in the house and was heading down to start breakfast. He entered the kitchen and found Max looking through the fridge. "Morning" he said as he began making breakfast. "Morning Ray" the blond boy answered back as he pulled out a jug of orange juice.

Max walked over to the cupboard to find himself a glass and found them just out of his reach. He turned to Ray with puppy dog eyes and was satisfied to see Ray walk over and give him a glass. Max, Kenny and Tyson were a little on the short side and often had to ask the taller two, Ray and Kai by name, to hand them something that was beyond their reach. Ray was the one most often asked, only Tyson really daring enough to ask Kai.

Max gave Ray a grateful smile and poured himself a glass of juice. He sat down at the kitchen table and watched Ray for a bit. He could almost see Ray in one of those 'kiss the chef' aprons. Max could feel his grin widen slightly. Soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of breakfast. Kai entered followed by Kenny soon after. Kai said nothing in order of greeting; instead he leaned against the counter and waited. Kenny came in with Dizzy under arm giving a nod in greeting. 

"Max, will you go and wake up Tyson please" Ray asked as he began to set the table. "Sure" he replied and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He knocked on Tyson's door and called his name. Not surprised that he didn't get an answer he swung the door open and walked over to the bed. He was surprised to find the bed empty, the sheets were wrinkled giving the indication that someone had been sleeping there. 

Max touched the pillow and mattress but found them to be cool, untouched for sometime by the heat given of from the body. That could only mean that Tyson had gotten up earlier that morning, yet he was nowhere to be seen. "Tyson!" he called out but found no answer. Max frowned and looked around the room. Everything looked to be normal, the curtains swaying gently in the morning breeze and nothing appeared to be missing or out of place.

Max walked out of the room and back to the kitchen, thinking that Tyson might have been downstairs before he came up looking for him. He entered the kitchen but found no Tyson. "Anyone seen Tyson?" he asked the other boys who looked at him, worry showing on their faces at his question. All right, so maybe it was Ray who looked worried, Kenny just frowned and Kai, well, he looked indifferent though he did turn his attention to the blond boy.

"Isn't he in his room?" Ray asked, worry finding it's way into his voice. Max shook his head no, still frowning. "Have you checked in the other rooms?" Max shook his head "No, I didn't, I did pass the bathroom but no one was in there" Ray frowned slightly biting his lip, "Let's look for him, he should be here somewhere." Max and Kenny nodded and the three started looking.

Kai had stayed in the kitchen. He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach that unsettled him somewhat. He finally moved from his spot and headed for Tyson's room. Normally they wouldn't have made such a fuss and gone looking for him, yet Tyson's strange behavior the last few days had them worried. Kai wouldn't admit it but he had steadily grown a bit concerned for the loud-mouthed baka. He had appeared more tired and pale and even quieter. He also began to eat less, though not drastically so, he could still be considered to have a large appetite. How Tyson was able to stay so small and thin was beyond Kai. It must have something to do with his usually hyper and active personality.

Another thing that was bothering Kai was that Tyson did not fight back as much as he used to when Kai teased him. He just sort of backed off and submitted after a few exchanges of words, something that had surprised Kai greatly when it first happened. Submitting was not something that the stubborn headed boy was known for. Having reached Tyson's door he entered. 

Kai looked around the room and found that it was surprisingly clean. The floor was clear of most things except for the odd article of clothing that lay discarded here and there. He walked slowly round the room, his fingers trailing over the wooden desk, the bed and finally stopping as he reached the windowsill. He stared out of the window for a minute, eyes narrowed slightly. He looked around the room again when his attention was caught by a small black box that lay at the edge beneath the bed. He would have missed it entirely, yet somehow it had drawn his attention to it. He walked over to it slowly and crouched down as he picked it up. 

The box was feather light as if it was empty and made only of a thin sheet of paper. It was plain and uninteresting though he felt that it held great importance. He heard footsteps and looked up to see the other three boys enter. "We can't find him" Max said not bothering to hide his worry and what might have been a spark of fear. Kai looked at the small black box and stood up again. "Hn." Was all he said before pushing past the others and out of the room. Ray, Max and Kenny looked at each other before following their leader down the stairs and into the living room. They had seen the box in Kai's hand and curiosity ate at their heels.

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JM: A chapter finished. I actually don't like this chapter much. I don't think I did it really well. Oh well, R&R!


	4. Chapter 4: Changes

**JM: Alright Chapter 4 is up. Thank you to Animefreak_4eva1 for beta reading. Alright there are a few comments I wanna give to reviewer:**

**Bloody Mary: We..e..ell….I don't actually have a pairing for Ray and Max yet, so one or both of them might be in a het relationship. I agree, it's good to have a mixture of yaoi and het. I am planning on putting Ray with Mariah, though I'm still thinking of a way to get the two together. Thanx for your review ne!**

**Tysonsmine****: Thanks TM, do you have an email address? I would need to send the chapter drafts to you through email. Animefreak 4eva1 has also volunteered but two beta readers would be extra helpful.**

**And to the rest of the reviewers, a huge Thank You! You are lovely people!**

**Before we go on to the chapter, I have a question. What color is Tysons eyes? In some fics and in one of the anime series he has brown eyes, in others blue. Which one is it. I myself made it to be brown in ch2, but I was still wondering.**

**Alright here's the next chapter, Enjoy!**

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Chapter 4: Change

It was sometime during the night that the light fingers of pain begun to claw at the small body of the sleeping Tyson. He half-awoke, his eyes glazed in foggy white and unseeing. Pain clawed at his back and spine, at his hands and his head. Soft animal-like voices rose from his mouth and his breathing and heart rate increased. The pain was not of the unbearable sort, it was more like the pain felt when you fell and scratched your knee bloody. A stinging, itching pain that seemed to run beneath the skin, unable to be reached or touched. This was the pain that slipped through his body, moulding and shaping what he was, and what he was yet to become. Tyson himself was unaware of the changes; the sleep that had enfolded him earlier that night was deep, bordering the bridge that passed into unconsciousness.

The energy that Tyson had used to keep up his disguise were set free of their bonds giving it free reign to run through his veins and blood, urging on the changes taking place. The sudden outpour of energy made his body glow with light blue energy that gave his skin a translucent quality giving him an ethereal appearance. Pain shot between his shoulder blades as new bones began to grow, yet did not break the surface of the skin. The bones of his fingers grew 1 cm in length at each joint and the nails grew longer as well till it reached a bit past the fingertip. 

The pain receded and the glow of the energy that surrounded him faded but left a faint bluish trace over his skin. The owner of the yellow eyes watched all of this happen, never once looking away or blinking. It kept watch all through the night, chasing away any intruder that dared to venture too close to the cave, guarding the changeling as it slept. Just around the time that the sun would start to show its face to the world again, the yellow eyed guardian placed a simple wooden bowl filled with berries at the cave entrance and disappeared into the shadows, leaving no trace or indication that it had been there except for the berries.

The sun rose up in its golden brilliance once again to shine for the inhabitants of earth. Heat already began to rise from the earth as the sun bathed it in its warm light. For once Tyson woke up early, feeling strangely refreshed and at the same time tired. He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, yet his body or more specific, his bones felt heavy and tired. Tyson sat up and groaned as pain shot between his shoulder blades and down his spine. He rubbed his shoulders and neck trying to ease some of the pain. Standing up slowly Tyson walked out into the sunlight. He was greeted by the songs of birds and the soothing sound of water rushing over stones and rocks.

Tyson nearly kicked over the bowl of berries and looked down in apparent surprise. He crouched down, holding back a small moan as another pain shot down his spine, and lifted the bowl to his lap. He looked around him, suspicious and worried at the same time. Someone knew he was here, but the person was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had gone back to the town to get his friends or something or perhaps the person knew he didn't want to be found and had left a gift. The latter seemed unlikely, yet you never could really know.

Tyson suddenly felt ravenous and throwing caution to the wind quickly ate about half of the berries. He would leave some for later and catch himself something to eat for now, he was still very much hungry. Tyson went over to the river and began to strip himself of his clothes. He entered the cold water slowly. About halfway in, he untied his hair from the confines of his braid and felt the soft hair fall over his shoulder and back. It was then that Tyson noticed the changes in his hands. It took him a moment to realize that his fingers were longer and thinner than before. His nails were longer too, well on its way to becoming claw like.

He frowned but dismissed it. He was not entirely surprised, it was part of his real form though it had been awhile since he had seen and been his true form. Tyson shrugged and began washing himself with sand* from the banks. He washed his hair as well as he could without shampoo before swimming around a bit. The cold water had a numbing affect on his sore body, and it drove the last remnants of sleep from his form. After a few minutes he got out and dressed in the spare clothes he brought. The clothes clung a bit to his damp body, though that didn't really bother him. He had dressed in soft beige cotton pants ** and a light blue sleeveless cotton shirt. After he was dressed he quickly washed his clothes and laid them out on one of the sun baked rocks to dry. After that he quickly re-braided his dampened hair, glad to have it out of his way.

Satisfied that that was done he went and brought out the sword that he had brought with him. He unsheathed the sword, placing the sheath to one side before standing on a grassy patch that had a nice clear area around it. He began to do warm-ups before starting his sword practice. He started of slow, watching as the blade glided through the air guided with precision by his hand. He made sure to maintain his central balance and footing as well as his arms and body. As the technique and rhythm became natural Tyson began to speed up, focusing and eventually closing his eyes as he came to be part of the sword dance. Time seemed to pass in a rush as the sun became more heated through the day. Eventually Tyson slowed down again till he came to a graceful stop. He was panting and covered in a thin layer of sweat from the exercise and heat.  He went to the stream and drank deeply from the cold fresh water.

He sheathed his sword again and put it amongst his other belongings at the back of the cave. He took his clothes, which were dry by now and put them in the cave as well before going to sit in the shade of a nearby tree. He leaned back against it, tilting his head to the sky and closed his eyes. He sat like this for sometime before his thoughts turned back to the reason that he was there at the moment, and of the things he left behind. He was sure the others were filled with worry and the guilt once again began to gnaw at his heart. He leaned forwards, drawing up his legs so that his head was resting upon his knees. 

He sat watching the fish that swam gracefully through the water as birds would fly through the air. It was their nature, it was part of them. The fish did not ask to fly through the air or walk with legs upon the earth. The birds didn't try and live underwater or in a whole under ground. They each had their own place, for if they were to step out of what was their nature, death would await them. It was the same with him really. He wasn't entirely human, he belonged in the sky and in the wild yet he was trying to step out of his nature, pretending to be human and it was slowly killing him.

Tyson gave a bitter laugh. He had human blood running through him, yet it was clearly not enough for him to survive for too long periods in the human societies. That must have been the reason why his disguise was slipping. He had hidden too long behind his disguise, disregarding his nature and now it was costing him. He would probably be able to get his disguise up again in a while, though in how long he did not know. He sighed as his hunger made itself known and taking up the spear he had made began to fish for lunch. He caught two small fishes which he cleaned and gutted before roasting them on a small fire. With it he ate more of the berries before he sat back satisfied. With his hunger sated Tyson began to feel more cheerful though not by much.

Tyson's personality was a social one and though he did like to be alone occasionally, the loneliness and silence was starting to affect his mood. He wanted to talk to someone about everything and anything. He wanted to be talked to and he wanted to fight with Kai and maybe annoy someone. Tyson shook his head; it would be no good to think about it, it would only make it harder for him. As he sat an idea came to him. Why it did and why he followed he could not say, but after putting some of the berries in the small and now basically empty bag that he carried he slung it to his back and began to climb up the mountain. His long, thin fingers found many footholds and crevices as he slowly made his way up. He rested as he came to a ledge about halfway up the mountain and looked at the view that was presented to him from this height.

A breeze had started up lessening the heat of the day. The sun was starting to fall again, painting the sky in different shades of rose, red, gold and blue. Tyson ate the berries slowly enjoying the peace of the beauty presented to him. The sky and the forest looked like a picture from a fantasy book painted in bright colours. It was a sight that many people failed to see as they passed through their busy day. The scenery settled the conflict in his heart for it gave no space for such things. The wind was stronger at this height, dancing around him as he watched. 

Unknown to Tyson his eyes became quicksilver though he did notice the change in his vision. The world had lost all definition. What he saw now was only colour, silver grey and golden brown colours being the most dominant. He could now see the wind, strange as it sounds, he could. He could now see things that no other could see but for those of his kind. The creatures of the wind danced around him singing, inviting him to come with them in their journey across the land. Tyson complied and followed them, watching in complete amazement at what he saw, leaving his body slumped on the mountain ledge. This of course was dangerous but Tyson was lost in the freedom of his gift, all worries and sorrows gone from his mind. He was back in his element, overwhelmed by the suddenness of his oppressed gift manifesting itself.

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**JM: Alright, now my part is over for now, so now it's time for you're part, R&R!! We'll be looking back at Kai and the others and the small black box in the next chapter.**

***Washing with sand is used as an alternative when you don't have soap and you're stuck in the wild**.

** **Sort of like the pants that Ray usually wears in the series.**


	5. Chapter 5: Hooded

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JM: Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I have been struggling with writer's block. Anyway I'm not so sure about this chapter; my Beta readers not sent me any feedback yet. Anyway any spelling mistakes is my grammar checker thingy's fault. I used two different ones and both disagreed with each other.

Note: I sometimes call Tyson's Grandfather, Mr. K. Sorry if it confuses you.

Disclaimer: Don't own Beyblade.

Thanks to all those who reviewed, your all tha best!

Shadows shifted as soft whispered voices flitted around. Words could not be distinguished, neither the gender of the voices. Tall crumbling buildings stood gray and forlorn in abandoned streets. The windows black and empty, gaping at the world outside. The sky was overcast and dark, threatening to pour large gray tears.

Golden eyes swept over the dismal picture presented from where it stood. An unseen grin spread over it's shadowed face, lips pulled back over sharp white fangs. At the passing of a light breeze, the owner of the golden eyes darted across the streets and around corners. It moved with great speed, a passing shadow, its footfalls unheard. Around it the streets did not change except for the blanketing silence that seemed to have fallen over the town. The day darkened and even the wind seemed to stay away from the area that the golden eyed figure found itself.

Time seemed not to pass in this gloomy place and what could possibly have been a few minutes passed when the shadows shifted slightly to the appearance of another figure. Gold met milky white as the two acknowledged each other. A girl stepped out into the middle of the street. She was terribly skinny, her skin pale and sunken. Her face was hollow, skin stretched tightly over high cheekbones, a sharp nose and small forehead. Her lips were thin and colorless; her eyes white and without sight and light silver blonde hair that were knotted and dirty. She wore a shapeless brown dress of course material. A dark gray cloak hung over her thin frame giving her a wraith like look.

Soft gasping breaths were taken through her lips though she did not look to be tired. A thin and slightly mad grin spread over her lips, pulling at the tight skin around her cheeks and mouth. The girl had few teeth left in her mouth, the few left yellow. "Yren, you wander far tonight, what is it that you bring for me?" The voice was raspy, flat and cold, but young all the same.

Yren grinned impishly as it crouched low to the ground and sidled forward. Golden eyes watched the pale face closely, watching the sightless eyes as they stared at something that could not be seen but by her. The girl was patient, ears following the non-existent sounds made by Yren. Shadows licked hungrily at her naked feet, she did not notice or chose to ignore them.

Yren chuckled softly, circling the albino like a predator. "I have news" he whispered, unseen grin heard in its voice, "News that might be considered good or bad, depending". The albino lowered her head, eyes resting on the floor. She lifted her arms and wrapped her cloak more tightly around her. In a soft voice she said, "Yren, you wander far tonight, what news do you bring?"

Again Yren chuckled, pausing in his circling of the albino. "He is changing." Albino looked up sharply at this, a frown settling on her pale brow. "They know, they are searching for the boy as we speak"

"Then you need to return to him soon, his actions need to be monitored carefully. Everything he does in the time of the cycle will affect the events to come and they must not find him" The albino lifted her face to the sky before turning back to the shadows she had stepped from. The shadows welcomed her with their cold embraces. Albino paused, her cold voice whispering through the air,

"Go; do not waste more time than is necessary. We shall speak again in a short while, till then golden-eyes, stand guard and watch"

With these last words the albino disappeared into the shadows. Yren stared after her, golden eyes betraying no emotion. With a soft chuckle, Yren darted down the silent streets and alleys, the forest his destination.

Ruby eyes blinked open sleepily as a high pitched screech filled the room. Reaching over to the bedside table, the crimson-eyed boy switched off the alarm clock before he stood up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. Running a hand through his hair, Kai turned on the shower and after shedding his clothes, stepped under the fall of warm water. He leaned his head against the cold tiles as the water cascaded down his back. His thoughts were, as with the others, on the missing dragon.

The four friends had turned the city over in search of Tyson to find no clue of what might have happened to him. Today, they had agreed to search the forest for him. Kai was deeply concerned for his friend, though he would not admit it to himself or the other Blade Breakers. Somehow Tyson had managed to break into his defenses and slowly brought back his humanity. It had scared Kai at first, having to face and admit his weaknesses, his mistakes. Almost everything that Kai had tried to bury in the past had been brought back to him, made him realize that he was just as human as his friends were, that he also had the ability to feel emotion.

The only defense that Tyson had let him keep was his mask of indifference.

Tyson often teased and taunted his cold manner, slowly breaking pieces of the mask, then leaving it to Kai to put it back together. At first Kai had resented this, but as time passed Kai had found that by Tyson's tactics, Kai had built defenses based on his own personality than to the defenses that Biovolt had installed on him. It had been around this time of realization that Kai began to see the real Tyson.

He had found that most of Tyson's teasing held an undercurrent of good purpose, his jokes and actions often breaking a tense situation, keeping depression and stress to a bearable level.

Tyson was more than he made him self out to be. They really didn't know Tyson as much as they thought they had. Tyson presented himself like an open book; the people that he met ate the information that he gave them, never bothering to question what he did not say. This Kai found, was a defense, a mask so similar to his own, only the key to breaking that mask was unknown. Kai found that the group knew more of his past than they knew of Tyson's.

With a sigh Kai turned of the water and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping himself in a soft blue towel he entered his bedroom once again. It was still early, only know turning to 6:05am. The sky was still dark, a faraway paleness the only indication that the sun was on it's way to rising. Kai dressed and brushed and styled his hair. Presentable now, Kai left the safety of his room and walked to the kitchen.

As Kai was the first person up, he made himself some coffee and sat at the table warming his hands on he sides of the steaming mug. Staring down into the brown liquid his thoughts returned to Tyson. He was brought back to the present as another person entered the kitchen. Soft wisps of black hair framed a thin and seemingly feminine face. Ray nodded a greeting as he walked past Kai to pour himself some coffee. Neither talked as Ray joined Kai at the table. Both were absorbed in their thoughts, mainly of the missing dragon.

Not long after Kenny and Max joined them. Ray got up from the table without a word and began making breakfast. Max, not one to sit still or stay quiet for long, fidgeted while he looked at each of his teammates.

Kenny sat with Dizzy balanced on his lap, yet his fingers were still, the keys untouched. Ray was concentrating on making breakfast, a slight frown on his features. Kai was staring with a blank expression into the mug held between his hands. "When do we start?" Max asked looking down at the table.

"After breakfast is done" Ray answered placing eggs and toast, followed by bacon. Breakfast was quiet, the sounds of eating the only sound. The meal was interrupted by the sound of the door flying open.

Tyson's grandpa and Mr. D walked into the kitchen followed by Lee and Mariah and Hilary. Worry and concern were written over the face of Mr. D, where Tyson's grandfather only frowned, his eyes hooded and betraying nothing of what he thought. The three newcomers nodded a greeting to the Blade Breakers. "You boys ready?" Mr. D asked looking at each of the boys in turn. "The police have been alerted and other search parties will be sent out as well" The boys nodded and stood, Ray quickly cleared the table, leaving the dishes for later.

The group left the house, no one but Kai noticing that Tyson's Grandfather hung back, watching them with an unreadable expression. Noting to himself to keep watch of the old man, Kai got into the van with his friends. The ride was quiet; each lost in his own thoughts. They piled out of the van as they reached the forest, their eyes scanning through the trees. Kai tensed slightly as he felt eyes staring at him. Looking out of the corner of his eye, Kai found Tyson's Grandfather staring at him, a strange look in his eyes dark eyes. Kai frowned slightly at this before making his face blank again. There was something not quite right going on. Kai found his thoughts drifting back to the little black box that he had found in Tyson's room.

He had not yet opened it, there was something intriguing about the box yet he was repelled by it. Neither he nor Kenny, Max or Ray was willing to open it.

Kai shook his head; he was supposed to concentrate on finding Tyson, not some silly little box. The feeling of being watched never left him, not to appear suspicious of the old man; Kai did not spare him another glance. The group was split into three smaller groups. Ray, Mariah and Kenny were grouped together, Max, Mr. D and Hilary in another which left Kai with Lee and Mr. K. The groups parted and walked into the forest, each going in a different direction.

Kai and Lee walked ahead of Mr. K, their eyes scanning or some sign of Tyson. Both were silent, neither one comfortable with talking to the other. Finally Lee turned to Kai. "You notice the way the old man over there is staring at us?" he asked in a hushed town, his eyes picking out any sign of a body having moved through the dense vegetation. "Hn" was the only replay he received though it was followed by a side-glance from the crimson-eyed boy. "You thinking there is something strange going on with this whole situation?"

This time Kai looked at him, a frown on his face. He gave a small nod in answer before turning back to the surroundings. "What are you and Mariah doing here?" he asked. Lee smiled slightly at this. "We heard that Tyson had gone missing," Lee answered simply, "And Mariah wanted to see Ray" Kai noticed the hurt in Lee's voice as he spoke Mariah and Ray's names. Kai only lifted an eyebrow at this but did not question further. The two walked in silence again when Kai suddenly crouched down.

Someone had stumbled through one of the bushes that grew in the forest, broken leaves and twigs proof to that. As the three followed the trail taken by the unknown person, Mr K following slightly apart from the front two, they came to a spot where the vegetation were crushed and flattened to the ground. The person must have lay down and fallen asleep.

Kai looked at Lee who was examining the footprints that walked from the resting-place back into the bushes. He turned to speak to Mr K to find that Tyson's grandfather was nowhere in sight. A cold breeze swept past the two like a small whirlwind. The forest seemed to get darker and more silent, the sound of forest life fading away. Kai and Lee stood quickly, wary of the strange changes around them. Neither noticed the shadow that came up behind them, and both fell into darkness.

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JM: Well there ya go. This chapter is actually longer than all the first 4. R&R!!


	6. Chapter 6: Dragon

AN: Hello all. Yes, I finally wrote another chapter. It took me a while, but I did. I hit writer's block so I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter, but for now it will have to do. I actually wrote the chapter December last year, but it got deleted and I just didn't have the motivation to re-write it. Well, I finally did. Thank you to all of those who reviewed. They have indeed helped to motivate me to write. I hope all of you enjoy this chapter. ****

Disclaimer: I do not own beyblade. Anything that does not come from the series is mine.

Chapter 6:

The sudden stab of pain that pierced his mind was enough to wrench him out of his self-induced trance. With a strangled cry of pain, Tyson was pulled back into his body with such force that he found himself toppling over the edge. The pain in his head made him oblivious to his current predicament, even as he fell freely through the air. Pain stabbed at his eyes and coursed along his bones, intensifying just below his shoulder bones. Through the pain a single thought drifted to his attention. That very night the sun had set on the fourth day, this could only mean that he was finally changing. Pain washed away all other thoughts, his mind fading into the dark sea of emptiness.

His body had taken on a soft blue glow once more as his body began to shift and change. Bones shifted painfully, growing and reshaping to accommodate his new form. Slowly his arms and legs shortened and reshaped while his body moulded and lengthened. Claws replaced stubby human fingers and toes and thick black-blue leathery skin replaced the soft delicate pink flesh. Light blue hair thinned and grew longer, following the length of the spine. Two ivory horns pushed from the temples while the jaw lengthened and pushed out from the face into a long thin snout. The changes had not taken more than a few minutes, but it took long enough for him to hit the ground after the long drop.

He lay unmoving on the ground, his thin, muscled snake-like body sprawled around him. The golden eyed guardian had watched it all happen, and now moved cautiously to the unconscious dragon's side. Yren took note of the slow rise of the chest, a sign that the dragon still lived. Tyson would suffer no lasting injury from his fall, but his life was now in even more danger than ever before. Yren glanced up at the sky before scanning the trees for any sign of danger. The energy with which Tyson had changed now left a signature mark on his location. The dragon would have to wake soon and flee to a safer place before the enemy had chanced to arrive at this spot. Yren glanced at the dragon for only a moment before keeping watch on the forest and sky once more. He would let the dragon rest only as long as he dared before he would try and wake it.

Only a few hours had passed before Yren approached the sleeping dragon once more. He took hold of the two horns, careful not to impale him, and pulled. Tyson wasn't that big a dragon, not compared to many, and therefore Yren was able to move him one step at a time until they were right on the banks of the stream. He sprinkled water on the long elegant face of the dragon, hoping he would wake easily. With little success he took hold of the horns once more and dipped the dragon's head beneath the water for a brief moment. Finally Tyson woke, wrenching his head from the golden eyed figure's grasp. He growled irritably, before quieting in shock. His senses had sharpened to their full potential and his body felt as light as air while brimming with power. Stunned brown eyes met curious gold.

"Finally you wake" Tyson blinked at the stranger blankly, his mind trying hard to wrap around his new body and situation. He found that his thoughts slipped away as water slips through one's fingers, unable to grasp them for more than a mere second. The golden-eyed creature was talking, yet Tyson could not hear a word he was saying. Despite this he could pick up the strange sense of urgency that accompanied the words. The figure had noticed Tysons inattentiveness and sighed irritably. It was well known amongst the guardians that getting a dragon to concentrate was a difficult task. Dragons just tended not to care much for anything, unless threatened that is.

Yren placed his hand gently between the dragon's eyes and closed his own. He projected images into the dragon's mind of the dangers that he was facing. Tyson could understand the images better than the words and slowly realised exactly why the figure was so urgent. He gave a small nod, which satisfied Gold-eyes, for he pulled back his hand and pointed in a direction. Gold-eyes, for that was how Tyson came to remember him, gathered the few possessions that Tyson had brought with him. With a nod from Tyson he mounted the dragon, sitting just below the shoulders. Golden-eyes took hold of the horns as a form of support, so that he would not slip from the dragon's back.

A sudden cry from the trees had both Tyson and Yren whirl around to find a group of cloaked men emerge from the shadows. They aimed their weapons, but Tyson had already taken flight, rising gracefully into the air. Tyson flew into the clouds for cover from any projectile weapons that might bury themselves in him or his companion. Any human might have fainted at this height as the air thinned, but Gold-eyes were no human and so he sat quietly. They were both soon damp and Yren found himself chilled by the coolness of the air. Tyson flew with a leisurely pace now that he was not in immediate danger, his mind wandering again. Eventually he lowered from the clouds to find them flying over a city. Tyson knew enough to keep close to the clouds to avoid any unwanted attention. Soon enough they came again upon a forest, and Tyson flew down and landed in a small valley that bordered the dense trees.

Tyson found his appetite had grown again and he was eager for food. He watched as Yren dismounted and began scouting the area. Tyson's hunger would not wait and he quickly took off to the nearest water source. He was met with the still waters of a lake and quickly slipped into the cool depths. He proceeded to fill himself with fresh and uncooked fish until he was satisfied. He returned to dry land to find Yren watching him expressionlessly. Tyson stretched out on the grass and began to doze under the watchful eyes of Yren.

Kenny walked quietly behind Ray and Mariah, his head down and face pulled into a frown. Was it just him or was there something very weird going on? Kenny shivered as he felt the eyes watching him again. The feeling of being watched had been on him for a while now, yet he could not make himself tell his two companions. He looked timidly around the forest but as expected he could not see the watcher. Kenny paused at one point, his feet unwilling to carry him further. Something was telling him to run, to forget Tyson and get away from the oppressive silence. He looked towards Ray and found them nearly out of site, quietly conversing with each other as they scanned the surrounding area for Tyson. Kenny wanted to call out to them but found that his voice would not work. Soon his two companions were out of sight, leaving Kenny alone in the dark of the trees. He once again tried to move, to run after his friends, but his body would not obey.

He began to shiver as he noticed the shadows dancing through the trees, thickening. The trees slowly began to fade, as the area became dark and still. "No…." he whispered softly, as terror took a firm hold on him. The world began to spin as Kenny clutched his head. He felt dizzy and faint and could stand no longer. He crumpled to the ground and fell into the darkness with only the barest whisper.

There you go. Now review and tell me what you think. Hopefully I will have another chapter out soon.


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